Frederic a



(No Moder.

P. A. LUCKENBAUH.

APPARATUS FOR SAVING GOLD, SILVER, AND QUIOKSILVERf No. 425,545. Patented Apr. 15, 1890.

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Inven%r UNITED STATES PATENT OEETcE.

FREDERIG A. LUCKENBACH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

APPARATUS FOR SAVING GOLD, SILVER, AND QUICKSILVER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 425,545, dated April 15, 1890.

Application filed May 31, 1889. Serial No. 312,836. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERIC A. LUCKEN- BACH, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for the Saving of Gold, Silver, and Quicksilver, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to amalgamating apparatus in which the gold ore, being first finely pulverized dry and hot, is condensed into a hot wet pulp of ore and by its own gravitation is conducted into and through one or more bodies of quicksilver in succession to each other; and the objects of my improvements are, first, to provide a continuous current of water (preferably heated) charged with finely-pulverized gold ore and conducting it by gravitation into, under, and through one or more bodies of quicksilver, each body being in position above the other; second, to obtain the greatest possible contact of the finely-pulverized gold ore (while in a wet pulp condition) with the quicksilver by the arrangement of mechanical devices for subdividing the main currents of ore pulp into numerous globules or smaller currents during the passage of the ore pulp through the bodies of quicksilver; third, to afford facilities for introducing into the quicksilver employed an eifeetual preservative and purifying elementviz., pure hydrogen-in sufficient Volume under pressure and control and thereby prevent oxidation or fiouring and consequent,

loss of the quicksilver. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in wh.ich

Figure 1 is a view of the entire apparatus, being partly in section and partly in elevation. Fig. 2 is a vertical elevation of a suitable apparatus for generating and supplying pure hydrogen to the quicksilver employed; Fig. 3 is a detail view showing the adjustable taper fitting.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1, 1 1 represent supports or legs made of iron pipe, having flange-feet.

2 2 are adjustable T-fittings,secured in position by set-screws. v

3 3 are branch pipes connecting T-fittings 2 2 to central bevel fittings at a.

5 is a sheet-iron funnel secured to bevel fittings 4. 4.

6 is a perforated iron pipe screwed into bevel fittings a 4, and also into hub 7 and serving as a support to the quicksilver-holding vessel 8.

9 is a porous diaphragm cemented in position on a recess 10 and forming a hydrogenreceiving chamber 11, having a hydrogenconducting pipe 12 connecting therewith.

A pipe 13, having a valve, is suitably connected with vessel 8, for removing the quicksilver and amalgam when required.

14 is an inverted or concave plate partly beveled in form.

15 is a series of perforated sheet-metal rings secured to and extending around the under beveled part of the plate 14.

16 is a cone, and 17 a taper fitting, both of which are attached to plate 14 in a central position and forming an annular space 18, the whole being made adjustable by a long screw upon a pulp-conducting pipe 19. The pipe 19 is securely attached to the upper bevel fitting 4, which also supports a pulptank 20. g

21 is a water-spray condenser through which the pulp of ore is discharged into the tank 20.

The lower bevel fitting at and funnel 5, with fittings 22, 23, and 24:, show the lower part of the improved apparatus in elevation and from which the waste pulp or tailings are discharged. The pulp-conducting pipe 19, including the concave plate 1 1-, when in working position, should be about seven feet in height, in order to hold a column or head of twenty inches of pulp to one inch in depth of the quicksilver employed.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal elevation of a suitable apparatus for generating hydrogen by the action of dilute acids upon metals, (preferably zinc,) having suitable pipe and valve connections with the improved amalgamating apparatus.

Letter A represents a tight lead-lined chamber for holding metallic zinc, B an open-top lead-lined chamber for holding dilute acid, and G a lead or rubber pipe connecting chambers A and B.

D is a tight-fitting removable hand-hole cap or cover.

E is a hydrogen-conducting pipe with suitable stop-cooks.

F F are pipe-legs with adjustable shelves for supporting the chambers A and B.

All parts of my improved apparatus are stationary except the concave plate 14, Fig. 1, which is raised or lowered when required. The perforations in the sheet-metal rings 15 should not exceed one-eighth inch in diameter, and should have about thirty holes to the square inch. The rings should be placed about one inch apart and secured to the beveled under part of the concave plate 14, which is made of light cast-iron.

The porous diaphragm 9 is preferably made of a fine-grain fire-brick, although other suit able substances may be employed. It should be perfect-1y cemented in its position on the recess 10 Within the quicksilver -vessel 8, which is made of light cast-iron preferably in the form shown. When in working position, the upper edge of the concave plate 14 is about one inch higher than the overflow-edge of the quicksilver-vessel 8. The upper edge of the funnel 5 is also about one inch higher than the edge of vessel 8, to prevent overflow of pulp either into the concave plate 14 or over the funnel 5 when working. The vessel 8 is filled with quicksilver to within two inches of the top edge.

The practical operation of my invention is as follows: The gold ores are pulverized extremely fine, preferably by means of opposing currents of highly superheated steam. The exhaust-steam, combined with the fine ore-dust, is condensed into a hot wet pulp of ore by causing it to pass through a pipe having a suitable water-spray apparatus 21, as shown in Fig. 1, which discharges the pulp of ore at a temperature of nearly 200 Fahrenheit. The pulp of ore falls into tank 20, from thence into and through a suitable length of conducting-pipe 19, adjustable fitting 17, and annular space 18 into and near the bottom of a body of quicksilver held in vessel 8. When passing through the quicksilver the ore pulp is finely subdivided by compelling it to pass through numerous small perforations, in the series of sheet-metal plates15, attached to the under beveled part of the concave plate 14. This arrangement is for the purpose of securing the greatest possible contact of the exceedingly fine particles of gold contained in the ore pulp. With the quicksilver, which absorbs the gold on instant contact therewith after passing through the body of quicksilver, the ore pulp overflows on the top edge of the vessel 8, falling into the funnel 5, passing through the perforations in the support-pipes 6 into another conducting-pipe 19, and into the second body of quicksilver held in the lower vessel 8, through which the ore pulp passes similar to the preceding one, from which it is discharged through fitting 22 as Waste or tailings, thus forming a continuous passage of the hot ore pulp by gravitation through one, two, or more bodies of quicksilver, at an average temperature of 160 Fahrenheit. The quicksilver employed is kept in a pure and highly receptive condition by the action of pure hydrogen, that is introduced into it continuously in volume under a suitable pressure and control supplied from a suitable generator, (shown in Fig. 2,) and conducted through pipe E into chamber 11, passing through porous diaphragm 9 into the bodies of quicksilver. The powerful affinity of hydrogen for the oxygen in the ore pulp neutralizes its oxidizing action on the quicksilver, preventing the loss of it by what is commonly known as sickened or floured quicksilver.

The application of hydrogen to quicksilver for amalgamation purposes is the subject of a previous application and allowance of Letters Patent to me.

What I claim as my invention, and, desire to secure by Letters Patent, is,

1. The combination, in an amalgamating apparatus, of a vessel 8, for holding quicksilver, having secured therein a porous diaphragm 9, forming a chamber 11, for holding hydrogen in volume under pressure, with a beveled concave plate 14, having a series of perforated sheet-metal plates 15, also a pulpconducting pipe 19, and fittings 17 attached thereto, substantially as shown, for the purpose specified.

2. The combination, in an amalgamating apparatus, of avessel 8, for holdingquicksilver, a porous diaphragm 9, hydrogen-chamber 11, perforated support-pipe 6, bevel'fittin g 4, supporting a funnel 5, with a beveled concave plate 14, having perforated sheetrmetal plates 15, pulp-conducting pipe 19, and fitting 17, attached thereto, substantially as described.

3. The combination, in an amalgamating apparatus, of a beveled concave plate 14, having attached thereto a series of perforated sheet-metal plates 15, a fitting 17 vertically adjustable on a pulpcondncting pipe 19, with a vessel 8, for holding quicksilver, and provided with a porous diaphragm forming a chamber 11, suitably adapted for-introducing hydrogen (previously generated in volume under pressure) into the quicksilver held in vessel 8, all substantially as shown, for the purpose specified.

- 4. The combination, in an amalgamating apparatus, of one or more vessels 8, for holding quicksilver, having attached thereto porous diaphragms 9, forming hydrogen-chambers 11, perforated support-pipes 6, bevel fittings 4, funnels 5, the beveled concaveplates 14, fittings 17, made vertically adjustable on pulp-conducting pipes 19, secured to a pulptank 20, with an apparatus for generating hydrogen in volume under pressure and controlv from dilute acid and metals, and having suitable pipes for conducting the hydrogen into the vessels holding the quicksilver, all substantially as, set forth.

L CKENBAQH- Witnesses:

L. B. HOWE,

RALPH O. Manx. 

